Geranium plant named ‘Ballurpinzle’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Geranium  plant named ‘Ballurpinzle’ characterized by its semi-double pink and rose bicolored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, upright growth habit.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Pelargonium×hortorum.

Variety denomination: ‘Ballurpinzle’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Geraniumplant botanically known as Pelargonium×hortorum and hereinafter referredto by the cultivar name ‘Ballurpinzle’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in ArroyoGrande, Calif. during February 2002. The objective of the breedingprogram was the development of Geranium cultivars with a vigorous andupright growth habit, medium green-colored foliage, and new and uniqueflower coloration.

The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar was ‘Sil Claudio’, notpatented, characterized by its pink, rose, and white-colored florets,dark green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, upright growthhabit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar was ‘Balcolwhit’,U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,594, characterized by its white-coloredsemi-double florets with red purple-colored venation, dark green-coloredfoliage with a faint zonation pattern, and cascading and mounded growthhabit. The new Geranium was discovered and selected by the inventor as asingle flowering plant within the progeny of the above statedcross-pollination during May 2002 in a controlled environment at ArroyoGrande, Calif.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings sinceMay 2002 at Arroyo Grande, Calif. and West Chicago, Ill. hasdemonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with allcharacteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained throughsuccessive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedlyobserved and can be used to distinguish ‘Ballurpinzle’ as a new anddistinct cultivar of Geranium plant:

-   -   1. Semi-double pink and rose bicolored flowers;    -   2. Medium green-colored foliage; and    -   3. Moderately vigorous, upright growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parentprimarily in flower color and foliage color and from plants of the maleparent primarily in flower color and growth habit.

Of the many commercially available Geranium cultivars known to theinventor, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is ‘Fip 469’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,379. However, in side by side comparisons,plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Fip 469’ in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have non-zoned foliage; and    -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have different flower color than        plants of ‘Fip 469’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typicalflower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in thephotographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detaileddescription, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Ballurpinzle’.The plants were grown in 10 cm pots for 9 weeks in a greenhouse at WestChicago, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habitof ‘Ballurpinzle’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an umbel of ‘Ballurpinzle’.

FIG. 3 illustrates a close-up view of a single floret of ‘Ballurpinzle’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype mayvary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature,light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is TheR.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England,2001 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significanceare used. The color values were determined on May 19, 2005 between 3:00p.m. and 4:00 p.m. under natural light conditions, in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants producedfrom cuttings taken from stock plants and grown in a doublepolycarbonate-covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to thoseused in commercial practice. The plants were grown at West Chicago, Ill.in 10 cm pots for 9 weeks utilizing a soilless growth medium. Greenhousetemperatures were maintained at approximately 65° F. to 75° F. (18° C.to 24° C.) during the day and approximately 62° F. to 68° F. (17° C. to20° C.) during the night. Greenhouse light levels of 3,500 to 6,000footcandles were maintained during the day.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium×hortorum cultivar    Ballurpinzle.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—‘Sil Claudio’, not patented.        -   Male parent.—‘Balcolwhit’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,594.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 10 to 14 days.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 21 to 28            days.        -   Root description.—Fibrous.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Crop time.—Approximately 8 to 9 weeks from a rooted cutting.        -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Moderately vigorous and            upright.        -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:            Approximately 23.6 cm. Height from soil level to top of            foliage: Approximately 12.5 cm. Width: Approximately 22.9            cm.        -   Branching habit.—Freely basal branching. Approximately 3            branches per plant.        -   Branch.—Strength: Strong. Length: Approximately 3.9 cm.            Diameter: Approximately 6.8 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent            with short, soft hairs. Color: 146B. Internode length at            center of branch: Approximately 1.8 cm.        -   Foliage.—Number of leaves per lateral branch: Approximately            8 Fragrance: None. Form: Simple. Arrangement: Opposite.            Aspect: Petiole is acute to stem and blade is at a right            angle to stem. Shape: Reniform. Margin: Crenate. Apex:            Obtuse. Base: Cordate. Venation pattern: Palmate. Length of            mature leaf: Approximately 4.2 cm. Width of mature leaf:            Approximately 7.3 cm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces:            Densely pubescent with short, soft hairs. Color of upper            surface of mature foliage: 137A with venation of 144A. Color            of lower surfaces of mature foliage: Lighter than 137C with            venation of 144B. Petiole length: Approximately 5.2 cm.            Petiole diameter: Approximately 2.4 mm. Petiole texture:            Densely glandular-pubescent. Gland color: Colorless,            transparent. Petiole color: 144A.-   Flowering description:    -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Ballurpinzle’ is freely flowering under            outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous            blooming from spring through autumn and year round in            greenhouse environment.        -   Time to first flower.—Approximately 11 weeks from sticking            of unrooted cutting.        -   Lastingness of individual floret.—Approximately 5 to 7 days.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Type.—Umbel. Position: Above foliage. Number of open umbels            at nine weeks: Approximately 2. Number of developing umbels            at nine weeks: Approximately 2. Umbel diameter:            Approximately 9.7 cm. Umbel height/depth: Approximately            5.3 cm. Number of flowers per umbel: Approximately 8.            Fragrance: None.        -   Peduncle.—Strong, erect. Aspect: At acute angle to stem.            Length: Approximately 15.0 cm. Diameter: Approximately            4.0 mm. Texture: Densely glandular-pubescent. Gland color:            Colorless, transparent. Peduncle color: 144A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Bud rate of opening.—Generally takes 3 to 5 days for bud to            progress from first color to fully open flower.        -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Oval. Length: Approximately            1.5 cm. Diameter: Approximately 1.0 mm. Petal color: Closest            to 55B. Sepal texture: Pubescent. Petal texture: Glabrous.        -   Corolla.—Form: Semi-double. Shape: Round. Diameter:            Approximately 5.3 cm. Depth: Approximately 1.9 cm.        -   Petals/petaloids.—Quantity: Approximately 8 petals and 2            irregular shaped petaloids per flower. Appearance:            Iridescent. Aspect: Cupped. Arrangement: Imbricate. Shape:            Obovate. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire.            Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous. Length of            upper petal: Approximately 2.9 cm. Width of upper petal:            Approximately 2.3 cm. Length of lower petal: 2.8 cm. Width            of lower petal: 2.8 cm. Color of upper surface of upper            petal: Background of N66C with mottling of N66B around            margin and large area in center of petal that is darker than            52A. Lower one-third of petal is 73B with strong venation of            59C. Color of lower surface of upper petal: N155B with some            mottling of N66C. Color of lower petal upper surface:            Background of N66C with mottling of N66B around margin and            large area in center of petal that is darker and redder than            N66A. Lower one-third of petal is 73B with faint venation of            59C. Color of lower petal lower surface: Shading along            margin of N66D transitioning to N155B in center and at base            with venation of N57D.        -   Pedicel.—Strength: Strong. Angle: Acute. Length:            Approximately 3.1 cm. Diameter: Approximately 1.7 mm.            Texture: Glandular-pubescent. Gland color: Colorless,            transparent. Pedicel color: 144C with overlay of 178D.        -   Calyx.—Shape: Five-pointed star. Length/Depth: Approximately            1.3 cm. Width: Approximately 2.0 cm.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per floret: 5. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex:            Acuminate. Margin: Entire. Upper sepal length: Approximately            1.3 cm. Upper sepal width: Approximately 4.7 mm. Lower sepal            length: Approximately 1.3 cm. Lower sepal width:            Approximately 3.3 mm. Texture of upper surface: Glabrous.            Texture of lower surface: Glandular-pubescent. Gland color:            N163B. Color of upper and lower surface: 144A with faint            overlay of 178C at base.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity of mature anthers:            Approximately 5 to 8 per flower. Anther shape: Oblong.            Anther length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Anther color: Darker            than 77A. Filament length: Approximately 7.0 mm. Filament            color: 155D with N66B at junction with anther. Pollen            amount: Abundant. Pollen color N163A. Gynoecium: Pistil            quantity: One per floret. Pistil length: Approximately            1.0 cm. Stigma shape: Five branched. Stigma length:            Approximately 3 mm. Stigma color: 63A. Style length:            Approximately 3.0 mm. Style color: 63A. Ovary length:            Approximately 4.0 mm. Ovary texture: Sericeous. Ovary color:            143C.-   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed not fruit production has    been observed.-   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests    common to Geranium has not been observed.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Geranium plant named ‘Ballurpinzle’,substantially as herein shown and described.